If it truly pains Paula Brown to see the debate between evolution and creation deteriorate into mudslinging why did she proceed to label those with knowledge and an understanding of evolution as like Hitler? In casting these false aspersions, Ms. Brown goes past the mudslinging she decried.

Ignorance is far more likely to get Ms. Brown killed than is evolution. Ignorance of the kind revealed in her statement “Evolution only values life if it is strong” or her statements implying that evolution in some way devalues her or is likely to get her killed. All these statements reveal a lack of understanding of what evolution is.

Evolution values biodiversity. The only devaluation of Ms. Brown in evidence is the devaluation she herself makes. Ms. Brown should take a lesson from evolution and focus on her strengths and abilities, since a positive attitude promotes personal growth and survival and is in keeping with evolutionary behaviour.

One can only hope that a more positive attitude would result in Ms. Brown being less judgmental and insulting.

It is highly insulting to suggest that knowledge and understanding of evolution cause one to devalue life. Rather, it brings about an appreciation for the complexity and beauty of life. An appreciation that led to advocating for and working with those with addictions, mental illnesses, physical and mental challenges; valuing those individuals as people and friends.

As to being less than charitable with those less than perfect, I again point out that evolution has nothing to do with your ideas of what is perfection and what constitutes less than perfect or drags down the gene pool.

If you truly want to contemplate a lack of charity towards those who are less than perfect: the next time you hold a Sunday get-together with your fellow creationists, look around at the big building that cost so much to build and sits mostly empty; consider the money that goes to maintain and equip it; finally, consider how much those funds could do to house and help those in need.

Evolution ultimately has nothing to do with tearing me down or building me up. Evolution is not about something so narrow as my mental illness or your deafness, it is about the whole. Mental illness has caused me to learn and to grow; it is not the negative your attitude implies but a positive. My mental illness also goes with the territory, the mental processes that are advantageous.

Building up is done by society, family, people around us most of all ourselves, evolution has nothing to do with it.

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The way I perceive the Universe, our reality, together with an analytical and inquisitive mind have always made spirituality a very interesting journey and struggle for me. My mind is constantly mulling over reservations, questions and uncertainties. Which is one of the reasons I expect to never join any specific church or faith.

Churches and Faiths require a degree of certainty I will never, by my nature, attain. This does not prevent me from being highly spiritual, indeed this constant struggle with questions seems to have made me more deeply spiritual in my essence and actions and my interactions with my higher power, it just denies me any degree of certainty.

For the most part I am accepting of this path, although with my focus on spirituality I do tend to find the fact so many “Christians” are so in name only and not in action highly annoying – to say the least. But every once in a while I regret my inquiring nature.

I had to move out of where I was living at the end of September, a task I was not in any way looking forward to.

The week before while serving lunch to the homeless the Pastor of the Open Door Church stated he would be by with a pickup truck to help and that he had a place I could store my things until I found another place to call home. He arrived the following Sunday to tell me “We cannot move in my truck”. It was pouring rain and he felt that it would ruin many of my belongings to be moved in the pickup so he promptly phoned and borrowed an enclosed cube truck.

When he returned with the new truck he brought with him some parishioners to help out. My belongings vanished into the truck and into storage. Pastor Bill was even going to swing by the next morning to help me move my balky VW, but another friend help me solve that problem. I may lack the monetary resources for housing but I have embarrassing riches of friends.

While I may feel a twinge of regret that my nature, and perhaps my path, denies me the certainty needed to feel comfortable in even this church, my spirit rejoices at this evidence of a church that understands the meaning of being Christian and living ones faith. Besides, nothing in my nature denies me enjoying their company and friendship.